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1. Stimulus package drops E-verify
2. Sen. seeks privileges for gay couples
3. UT lawmakers pressing for enforcement
4. LA hotel wins court tiff

1.
Lawmakers iron out final details of stimulus bill
By Andrew Taylor
The Associated Press, February 12, 2009

Washington, DC (AP) -- Congressional leaders are ironing out the final details of the $789 billion economic stimulus legislation at the heart of President Barack Obama's recovery plan, resolving a dispute over school construction as they pushed toward a vote in the House on Friday.

The biggest disagreement, over school modernization funds, pitted House Democrats against Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a key broker in the deal that allowed the bill to move forward in the Senate. A top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday the matter was resolved quickly. A Senate official close to the talks concurred, requiring anonymity to speak frankly about the topic.
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Negotiators dropped a House provision targeting illegal immigrant workers. The House wanted to require anyone getting a contract paid for with stimulus money to use the government's E-Verify program to ensure employees are citizens or immigrants permitted to work.

Many businesses, civil liberties groups and immigration advocates say E-Verify is a flawed program. Others say the tool is needed to control illegal immigration.

Obama, who has campaigned energetically for the legislation, welcomed the agreement, saying it would "save or create more than 3.5 million jobs and get our economy back on track."

The $500-per-worker credit for lower- and middle-income taxpayers that Obama outlined during his presidential campaign was scaled back to $400 during bargaining by the Democratic-controlled Congress and White House. Couples would receive $800 instead of $1,000. Over two years, that move would pump about $25 billion less into the economy than had been previously planned.

Officials estimated it would mean about $13 a week more in people's paychecks this year when withholding tables are adjusted in late spring. Next year, the measure could yield workers about $8 a week. Critics say that's unlikely to do much to boost consumption.
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gdDrWnoMueqVFI-Uo1ClxV...

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2.
Top lawmaker seeks broader same-sex immigration rights
Agence France Presse, February 12, 2009

Washington, DC (AFP) -- A leading US lawmaker on Thursday offered a bill that could make it easier for US citizens to help their same-sex partners obtain legal residency in the United States.

Democratic Senator Pat Leahy of Vermont, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the legislation, which would change US immigration law to expand the rights of same-sex couples.

Currently, a citizen can sponsor his or her spouse for a green card to preserve family unity, and Leahy's bill would extend that right to citizens with a "permanent partner," his office said.

Leahy's measure would define that term as "an adult who is in a committed, intimate, financially interdependent relationship with another adult in which both parties intend a lifelong commitment" his office said.

"The promotion of family unity has long been part of federal immigration policy, and we should honor that principle by providing all Americans the opportunity to be with their loved ones," Leahy said in a statement.
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jPEYYcjjN2lr4ZTIwo6Ba...

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3.
Lawmaker wants to move ahead on immigration reform bill
By Mary Richards
The KSL News (Salt Lake City), February 12, 2009

The Speaker of the House in Utah wants to implement a sweeping immigration bill without delay.

The heart of Senate Bill 81 is that it requires some employers to verify an employee's U.S. citizenship. It also prohibits illegal immigrants from getting public financial or housing assistance and allows local police to engage or partner with federal officials on immigration enforcement.

The bill was given a year for study and to get comment around the state. But House Speaker Dave Clark says there's still some confusion over what it does.

"All employers are not going to be affected. These are only those that deal with government RFPs (Request for Proposals) and projects being paid with tax dollars. Those are the ones that are impacted that need to do some certification and verify. This isn't all businesses in the state of Utah," he said.
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http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5575530

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4.
Appeals court rules New Orleans hotel chain doesn't owe foreign workers for moving expenses
The Associated Press, February 12, 2009

New Orleans (AP)-- A federal appeals court has ruled a Louisiana hotel chain wasn't obligated to cover the relocation expenses incurred by immigrant workers recruited to work in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Decatur Hotels of exploiting foreign workers it hired after the August 2005 storm scattered many of its employees.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-katrina-guest...